South Africa Rugby League (Merged threads)

The SARL has announced the inclusion of a new club in their competition.

Bethal Broncos will be based in Bethal, Mpumalanga, and play in the Mpumalanga regional competition as well as the National Club Championships, the Protea Cup.

Gerry Gendal, chairman of the Broncos, is excited about the year ahead and plans to mount a strong campaign. The club has some excellent credentials, with Gerry having played at all levels, including for the London Broncos in the early ‘90’s. He was also a prominent player and coach of the South African national team.

Kobus Botha, President of SARL, commented: “This forms part of the SARL’s strategy for expansion into undeveloped territories and I am very happy with the excellent work being done by so many unsung heroes to promote the sport.”

South Africa Rugby League has announced the formation of two new clubs to play in the North West province and compete in the Protea Cup; Pretoria East Rabbitohs and Stilfontein Hurricanes.

The Rabbitohs boast several SA Rhino internationals and have experienced coaches and management in Tjaart van der Walt, Jonothan Soares and Deon Kraemer. The club will play from their home base in Potchefstroom.

Long thought of as a potential hotbed for new rugby league talent and a neighbouring mining town, Stilfontein’s Hurricanes has access to a strong university and agriculture college.

“We are focussing on sustainable club development, linked to regional tertiary institutions,” said Kobus Botha, President of SARL, who was also full of praise for Jan Prinsloo (a previous vice-president of SARL) for his tireless efforts to get the Northwest Province up and running.

Botha continued: “All of this forms part of the expansion plans for rugby league in South Africa and the Hurricanes and Rabbitohs will join the newly formed Bethal Broncos in the Protea Cup Challenge. We are planning on a few more clubs to strengthen the region and will keep working away.”

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” Eleanor Roosevelt